Interdepartmental Cooperation in Defence Issues and Strategic Intelligence

Abstract

Interdepartmental, inter-organizational and more general interagency working groups are a relatively new and growing phenomenon, particularly in the public domain. They appear as an answer to new challenges and demands imposed as regards the existing organizational structures. The need for interdepartmental and interagency joint endeavour emerged in specific cases related to the un-ordinary, occasionally, and usually complex tasks that they have to perform. In such cases, resource, knowledge or even authorization of a single entity are not enough. Hence, different organizations have to work together: exchange information, share resources, coordinate actions, and, in general, behave in a cooperative manner. However, different departments in a single large organization also have their internal relationship dynamics. In case of organizations with complex structures, more departments, interfering functions, formalized organizational behaviour, rigid communication procedures, administrative and decision making bottlenecks, there are many opportunities for improvement. This is particularly the case with public service organizations. On the other hand (other then public administration), in the field of business relationships and industrial markets, there is a reliable history of awareness of the "network perspective" and comprehension that actors do not operate in isolation (Hakansson and Snehota, 1995). Efforts to improve organizational design of commercial companies are permanent and long-term. Research studies on organizational design discussed issues about functional and project forms (Galbraith, 1971) and proposed matrix organizational design. Miles and Snow (1986) pointed out the "dynamic network" as a new organizational form invented to respond to declining productivity and competitive requirements. They further developed the "dynamic network" concept and discussed it in the wider context of networks typology (Snow and Miles, 1992). The next step in the Management 2016/80